Njemčević and Partoazar after the first stage of the world's toughest MTB race, took tenth place

(Patria) - Today marked the start of the Cape Epic, the world's most demanding MTB race, and after the first stage, Lejla Njemčević and Farank Partoazar secured tenth place.

The first stage, 66 kilometers long with 1,800 meters of climbing, was a true challenge, especially due to the high temperatures that further complicated the ride.

Njemčević and Partoazar finished with a time of 3:22:33.0, placing them in tenth position, 20 minutes behind the leading pair Candice Lill and Alessandro Keller.

A total of 21 female pairs are participating in the competition.

The Cape Epic is held from March 15 to 22, and the women's UCI race covers a total of 560 kilometers and 13,350 meters of elevation gain.

For Njemčević, this is her first appearance in this extremely demanding competition.

The race consists of a prologue and seven very demanding stages, making it one of the toughest events in professional sports.

For eight days, the competitors navigate the harsh conditions of South Africa, including mountains, desert sections, dust, rocky terrains, and technically challenging trails under high temperatures.